A generic Republican candidate now holds a four-point lead over President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 election matchup. It’s a fifth week in a row that the GOP candidate has been ahead and the widest gap between the candidates to date.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds a generic Republican candidate earns support from 46% of Likely U.S. Voters, while the president picks up 42% of the vote. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate, and nine percent (9%) are undecided.

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http://www.coachsfactoryonlines.net Coach Factory Online

As Coach Factory Onlinepoints out, the Newt fall can come anytime. I still like Mitt as the odds on favorite due to his dicipline and organization

Jacosta

Abortion…traditional marriage…gun rights…fiscal issues – all of these and more were always governed as a Conservative, the record is there. The ONLY issue with which we as Conservatives have had issue with is Romneycare. However, if you study the original version vs the changes that happened after he left office, and the changes/vetoes that were done by a liberal legislature (to which he gets blamed) you’ll see a stark contrast. Romney has admitted many times, including recently that it is not a perfect solution and that there were mistakes made to which he has owned up to. But, in its original version, anyone could see that it is nearly all conservative in its approach.

I believe that there are far too many Conservatives who give this issue only a facade/first-glance without searching the details – I’ll admit that that’s what I did as I originally opposed anything Romney back in 2008-09. But, when I finally started doing the research and discovered just how Conservative he is, and how muddled RomneyCare became after he left (not that some parts were messed up while he was governor or could have been handled better), then I begin to see a lot clearer.

Good men and women who, in retrospect, take time to contemplate, think, and ponder…often change their minds on very serious issues. Reagan did it…Both Bush’s did it…Rick Perry did it, and scores of others. Romney has also changed his mind on some issues…has converted to Conservatism over Liberalism…and his record as governor shows it.

I believe it is more of a personal/emotional/stylistic vs pragmatic/logical issue as to why we say that one has converted to our side while holding back others who have also shown that they’ve converted.

Even some of the most staunch, most Conservative pundits, business leaders and politicians have backed Romney – but that was after they also did the research and found that he not only talked the talk, but walked the walk.

So, if we are to accept Reagan, Bush I & II, Perry and others from their liberal/Democratic pasts…why not others? It’s not logical especially when the history is there.

His campaigns? Platforms? Where on the issues above is he not Conservative? (abortion, gun rights, marriage, etc.)

Alaina

I’m pretty sure George H W and George W were always Republicans.

The difference between Reagan and Perry is that Reagan changed his position after working in a Conservative environment at GE and better understanding the Conservative position. Perry, on the other hand, changed because it was politically expedient at the time.

I don’t have a problem with changing political views. We learn, we grow, we experience, new information is discovered. My issue is when their change in mindset just so happens to be more convenient politically at the time.

Romney is no Conservative and Romneycare isn’t the only reason (which, regardless of how it ended up being implemented, was deeply flawed from the beginning).

I couldn’t care less about a Presidential candidates views on gay rights, abortion or gun control because those are issues that should, and generally are, dealt with by the states. But, if you want to talk about his stance on gay rights, why did he allow civil unions? What about his change on abortion? He ran on a pro-choice abortion, but then he changed to pro-life right around the time people started talking about him running for President… seems a little fishy to me.

Take a look at his fiscal policy as Governor… he came in to office facing a deficit. His first response? Increase taxes and fees. He increased fees for things like divers licenses, marriage licenses, gun licenses, etc. He increased gas taxes. Property taxes rose 4%. He removed corporate tax loop holes. If Romney were a true Conservative, he would have looked into spending cuts first, rather than raising taxes.

In the environment that we’re in, do we really want someone who is going to raise taxes first? I sure don’t.

Alaina

Oh… and how could I forget to mention the Internet sales tax? Jerry Brown, you know… that liberal governor from California, he just did the same thing.

Jacosta

There is too much logic and evidence to contradict your statements regarding Romney. I, too, was once anti-Romney…well, maybe not “anti”, but I sure wasn’t leaning towards him. However, once I searched, discovered and then learned that all my thoughts turned out to be assumptions based on inaccurate data and yellow-journalism…and then discovered who Romney really was, I became convinced, as others have been, that he’s more than adequate to be a great leader. I will not judge a person on where he/she stood on issues in the past – I will see how they have governed as a Conservative…Romney has “shown” by leadership and example as Governor, campaigner, platforms, and fundraiser for other Conservatives where he stands.

Alaina

I’m not exactly getting your logic…. How can you possibly say Romney governed as a Conservative? His record is clear… He did not, by any means, govern as a Conservative.

Then you also look at how he campaigns, his platforms and fundraising? Have we learned nothing from electing Obama?

Troy La Mana

My support does not depend on a candidate never changing their mind. It does depend on integrity and accepting responsibility when they make mistakes. Romney has yet to do so and I doubt he ever will because he still believes in his health program. Romney has flip-flopped on as many issues as Kerry did and I just don’t see much of a difference between them. Besides, you are looking at clips from 2008 and newer. Seems like he is still talking out of the side of his mouth to me.

As for Perry? One great speech does not a candidate make and I wouldn’t put him in my top 5. That goes for Huntsman as well. The only candidate that you mention that draws any interest is Bachmann. I still need to know more before I throw my support her way.

For the record, I haven’t decided on who I will support. I only know who I won’t. Once guess as to who that might be.

Alaina

110% behind you!

Jacosta

Troy – like I’ve said, you would have never voted for Reagan, Bush, or for that matter, Bachmann, because ALL of them have changed their minds on some issues. Even Governor Perry was a Democrat and was running Al Gore’s Texas campaign when he ran for President. In fact, a lot of politicians over their political and personal lives have changed their opinions/feelings/views on certain matters. Isn’t it an awesome thing to welcome a convert? And if you examine Romney’s record as Governor (which I know you won’t because you’ll ignore fact), you’ll quickly find that he governed as a pro-life politician and that he ALWAYS was pro-traditional marriage between one man and one woman!

Funny – no matter how many times a person (Romney in this case) can explain why they have changed, and that they had made mistakes in previous views – in your world they could never be accepted into the Republican Party. And when their record clearly shows that they have changed – you would still hold them back.

Once again – some of the best and strongest Conservatives were converts from the liberal side! Think of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus…he was once nearly anti-Christ, but then turned into one of the greatest disciples of Christianity!